Treatment of open-mesh textile fabrics.



lose shape in MABIUS. TIGNIEB, OE LYON, FRANCE.

TREATMENT OF OPEN-MESH TEXTILE FABRICS.

No Drawing;

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARIUS RATIGNIER, a citizen of France, residing 'at5.6 Cours Morand, Lyon, France, have invented new and usefulImprovements inthe. Treatment of Open-Mesh Textile Fabrics, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to treatment; of open mesh textile fabrics; andit comprises a process of waterproofing and sizing malines, tulles, netsand other textile fabrics of the open mesh type, wherein such fabric istreated with a solution of nitrocellulose in a solvent containingsufficient amyl acetate to retard the speed of drying, and-'ithereafterdried with. relative slowness; all as more fully hereinafter describedand as claimed.

Operf mesh fabrics, such as. tulles, nets,

and the like, are used in large quantities by modistes and milliners fortrimming and decorating women?s apparel, for example, in the form ofbows, pomp-ens, ruchings, etc., for dresses and hats. Sometimes entirehats are made from such fabrics. It is of the utmost importancetherefore that the. goods thus made u shall retain the shape given them,the artistic effect and stylish appearance of such decorations being duelargely to the skill of the modiste or milliner in producing theparticular design of trim,-

ming in question. Unfortunately, however, fabrics of this kind have inthemselves little or no body or shape-retaining properties, owingchiefly to the fact that they are of such open texture and are composedusually of rather fine threads. It is therefore necessary to stiffenthese fabrics in some way, as by sizing, in order to give the forms intowhichlthey are shaped even a moderate degree of permanence, But simplesizing is at best a makeshift since these fabrics are very sensitive tomoisture and readily soften and humid atmqsphere.

It has been attempted heretofore to stiffen and at the same time torender waterproof open mesh fabrics of the type here in question byapplying to them various solutions containing water proofing agents.These at tempts have not been wholly satisfactory,-

however, the protective coating thus placed on the threads'bei-nginvariably more or less brittle and non-adherent, and also rendering thefabric tooheavy and stifl. Too much stiffening is as undesirable as toolittle. The

peculiar characteristics of tulles, nets, etc.,

which sharply distinguish them from ordl- Specification of hettersPatent.

ing, being made. up,

threads by the Patented Mar. 23}, 1915.

Application and Apri121, 1913. Serial nmca'zoa nary fabrics, haverendered their successful treatment a difficult problem.

I have found that the unsatisfactory results obtained heretofore inattempting to waterproof open-mesh fabrics have been due for the mostpart to improper methods ofapplying the waterproofing agents to thegoods. The solvents employed inthe solutions were/allowed to dry toorapidly after application, with the' result either that there Wasinsufficient impregnation of the threads to afford anchorage for thecoating left after evaporation, or else that too thick a coating wasleft. In the firs't, the coatingwas brittle and non-adherent'to such anextent that it scaled 0E and soonceased to protect the goods; not onlydid the goods lose their delicate sheerness by over-weighting andover-stiffenbut their texture was apt to be more or less distortedand'warped'by the-shrinkage of the excessively thick layers ofwaterproofing materials upon rapidly drying.

According to invention, the difficulties above pointed out are avoidedand new advantages gained. Permanently waterproof tulle and the like areobtained having just the desired amount fabrics of the class describedaliquid com-,

position comprising a cellulose ester, such as a nitrocellulose,dissolved in a suitable solvent, and in retarding the evaporation of thesolvent after application of the composition, by using in thecomposition an evaporation retarder which is itself advantageously asolvent of the ester or mixture of esters employed. Thenitrocellulosemay be in the form of collodion, gun cotton, celluloid, or derivativesof any of these, dissolved in any of their usual solvents such asalcohol and ether, or the like. To a solution of any of these is addedamyl acetate in proportions varying'with the nature of the particularfabric to be treated. The amyl acetate, by reason of its higher boilingpoint while in the second case,

the process of the present and slower rate of evaporation, servesto morevolatile solvents mentioned, thus permitting thorough liquid composltionand enpermeation of the fabric abling the formation of a very thinprotective sheath or envelop of waterproofing agent incasing each threadand firmly locked thereto. The amount of amyl acetate used depends uponthe n degree of retardation desired in a given instance. It is veryadvantageous also a material as gum lac in the liquid coatingcomposition, since the toughness and adherence of the final driedcoating are thereby enhanced.

The fabrics may be easily impregnated with the mixture described in anysuitable way, as for example by means of apparatus commonly used indressing fabrics.

In a typical embodiment of the invention may employ a mixture suitableparticularly for the treatment of black fabrics and prepared as follows:Three kilograms of gum-lac are dissolved in two liters of alcohol, towhich is added eight liters of amyl acetate, the Whole being then mixedwith six and a half liters of collodion and tinted with black. 'llhissolution has the property of imparting not only fabric but also anexcellent surface, an exceptionally brilliant gloss, and absolutefastness of color. The solution having been ap-' to incorporate suchamyl acetate and 6.5 parts impermeability to the plied to the fabric,drying is allowed to occur slowly,

meation of the fabric threads by the mixture d-1on,'gum lac, and am"lacetate, and allow ing the treated fabric to dry slowlv.

2. The process of impregnating and waterprooh'ng open mesh fabrics suchas'tulle and the'like which comprises treating such a fabric with a.solution gum lac, and amyl acetate, in the approx1- mate ratio of 3parts by Weight of gum lac dissolved in alcohol, 8' parts by volume ofby volume of collodion and allowing the treated fabric to dry slowly.

MARIUS RATIGNIER. Witnesses:

GAs'roN YEAITNIAUX, MARIUS HERMAZ.

thus. insuring complete percomprising collodion,

withccnsequent locking-thereto of the residlike which comprises treatingsuch I a fabric with a solution comprising collo--

